John james boyle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. J. ROYLE.

` `@TEAM TRAP.

No. 367,851. Patented Aug. 9, 1881.

minimum "'lwff' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '2.

J. J. ROYLE.

STEAM TRAP.

No. 367,851. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

u Pains. Phmumgmpmr. wamingnm D c4 UNITED STATES PATENT f OFFICE,

JOHN J AMES ROYLE, OF MANCHESTER, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

' STEA M -TRA P.

SPECIFICATIQN forming peut of Letters Patent No. 367,851, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed July 30, 1886. Serial No. 209,559. (N0 model.) Patented in England DecemberSl), 1882, No. 6,231; in 4France June 27, 1883, No. 15G,2G9; in Belgium June 28, 1883, No. 61,861,7and iu Germany J'ny 14, |883, No. 25,315.

To all whom it may concern.: f f

Be it known that i', JOHN J AMns RoYLn, aV subject of the QueenV of Great Britain and Ireland, and va resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam- ^Traps,(for which I have obtained `LettersP-atent in Great Britain and Ireland, No. 6,231, dated December 30, 1882; in France, No. 156,269, dated June 27, 1883; inBelgiurn, No. 61,861, dated June 28` 1883, and in Germany, No. 25,315, dated July 14, 1883,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to the construction of that class of steam-traps 1 which have a doat working in the water of condensation to actuate the discharge-regulating valve. I employ a suitable valve located on the inlet of theV trap and opening toward the atmosphere, so as to act also as a safety-valve; andI actuate the same bya simple float working in afreservoir or box, which is provided with a siphonic ejection pipe or outlet and a cover or lid, the latter adapted to retain a slight pressure of steam within the reservoir or box sufficient to eject the water through said pipe or outlet, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

It is necessary that the reservoir or box should be covered by a suitable lid. It is not necessary, however, that this lid be fastened down, as there is never more than a very slight pressure beneath it. A V-groove and gasket are most suitable, and the lid may be held on either by itsown dead-weight or by one or more bolts. This construction of semi-open steam-trap possesses all the advantages of a closed trap, combined with the ready accessibility. of what is known as the open construction. Y

Two sheets of drawings accompany this Yspecification as' part thereof.

Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a vertical section of a steam-'trap embodying the main features of my present invention. Figs. 2 and 3, Sheet 2, represent a preferred modification of the saineinvention, being respectively a ver tical sect-ion and a plan view, the righthand half of which is taken above the lid and its left-hand half below the lid.

In Fig. 1, a is an open-bottomed float work- -ing in a reservoir of water, b, provided with a pipe or outlet, c, .passing through the bottom d, but rising to about the level of the water contained in the reservoir b. The top of the float c is connected to a lever,oe, operating a hinged valve, j', which discharges into the reservoir-b. This outer vessel or reservoir, b, is covered in by a suitable heavy lid, g', which, however, is not fastened down, as there is never more than a slight pressure under the cover, thenecessary sealed joint being effected by the riin of the lid g dipping into a gasket containing V-grooveg at the top of the reservoir.

In Figs. 2 and 8, Sheet 2, A is the outerbox or casing, preferably of cast-iron,v provided with a cover, B, held on by wing-bolts C, and made tight in a gasket-grooiv'e. This groove,

,like said groove y', Fig. l, is formed in the ybox and not in the lid, as heretofore, which prevents any water trickling down thebox. Instead of the lidfbeing held down by bolts, it may be weighted or held down by other means, the endrto be attained being to retain a very slight pressure of steam under the said cover sufficient to eject the condensed water by t-he si phon-pi pe H. Y

E is a hinged valve actuated by a leverandball float, F. K

L isan airsvalveA heavy enough to close by its own dead-weight against any pressure that may be in the box Aand held open by a. brass expansion-bar, M, fastened at each extremity to the iron cover B, as shown. y

The apparatus to be d rained of air and water of condensation is connected by theunion O, and the box A is lled with water to the level of the outlet D of the ejection-pipe H. The

cover is then` put on, and the apparatus is ready for action. The air-valve L is fully open owing to the expansion-bar M being cold and nearly straight, as illustrated. The ball-fioat is in the position shown by the dotted lines at F2 in Fig. 2, and the hinged valve E therefore fully open. The air has consequently freedom of egress through the open air-valve L to the outer atmosphere, while the water of condensation is free to 'overdow through the pipe H, as indicated by the arrows. As Soon, however, as the steam arrives, the expansion of the brass bar M causes it to lengthen and bow downward,

and thus to allow the air-valve Lto close onto its seating. This ai r-valve may be dispensed with in positions where there is no air to discharge, and it must be understood that its absence will not interfere with the action of the other parts of the trap. The closing of this air-valve causes the steam to accumulate under the cover B and eject the water from the box through the pipe H. The ball thus descends and partially closes the hinged valve E to diminish the supply of steam to the box. It will be obvious that this ejection action will cease as soon as the ball has so far closed the valve E that the amount of steam passing is absorbed by the natural condensation of the box. This valve Il therefore never absolutely closes, and any condensed water collecting above the valve E would at first slowly pass the valve and add to the water in the box and raise theball,thus opening the valve wider,and So on in a rapidiy-accelerating ratio until the steam again arrives,when all the water would be discharged through the pipe II and the valve E be closed, as before.

K is a small hole, formed in the divisionplate N, whieh,when the trap is at rest, allows the vater to run from the compartment I into J until it is level in both, so lifting the ball F and opening wide the valve E to about the position indicated by said dotted lines F2 in Fig. 2,130 allow of the utmost freedom of cscape for air in the pipes on starting. Ey lifting off the cover l the ball and lever F can be thrown back, as indicated by dotted lilies at F, Fig. 2, so opening wide the valve E for blowing out any dirt or obstruction which may have collected above the valve. This valve A)and tloat F, arranged and acting as described, possess a special advantage over other descriptions of steam-traps, inasmuch as, besides performing their other functions, they operate as a safety-valve to prevent overprcssure in the apparatus to which the steam-trap is con neeted. The escape of the water through the hole I( goes on continuously; but its only object is to lift the iloat, and thus open the valve when the trap is at rest, as aforesaid.

The essential action ofthe steam-trap illustrated in Fig. I is the same as in the modification just described, the water being discharged and passing under the il oat a and over by the pipe c in the direction of the arrows, and so giving the same eicetion action. The float and lever in this ease, however, are counterbalanced by a spring, l1, on an upwardlyextending rod, yi, which rod also serves the purpose of lifting the valve, so as to permit the steam to blow through without removing the cover.

Instead ofthe valve E, Fig. 2, Sheet 2, and valvef, Fig. l, Sheet 1, any well-known construction of pl lig-cock may be used, the action being substantially the same; or I may employ other forms of valves; but I have found the valves described very convenient in practice.

I am well aware that the employment of the description of tloat and hinged valve, illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, Sheet 2, in steam-traps is not broadly new. They are similar, forexample, to those used by John and \Villiam W`eems in practically carrying ont their invention the subject of British Letters Patent No. 734-, dated March 17, 1862; but such ball and valve have always been used on the pressure side of the outlet and within a tightly-bolted vessel under the full steam-pressure, and not as herein employed on the atmospheric side of the inlet, whereby the valve is adapted to operate as a safety-valve, as aforesaid.

I am also aware that float-actuated valves for preventing overflow in liquid-reservoirs have been applied to the inlets of such reser- Voirs on the atmospheric side, but necessarily so as to be closed bythe rise of theliquid and guarded against being opened by pressure, whereas my valve is opened by the rise ofthe water of condensation, and is also adapted to open under excessive pressure in the apparatus to which the trap is applied,as aforesaid.

Having thus described my said improvements in steam-traps, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specificationl. In asteam-trap,areservoir or box adapted to sustain a light pressure of steam within it, and provided with a float-actuated valve on the atmospheric side of its inlet anda siphonic ejection-pipe on the pressure side of its outlet, substantially as herein specified.

2. In a steam-trap, a suitable float-actuated valve located on the atmospheric side of the inlet of the trap,whereby said valve is adapted to act as a safety-valve, as herein set forth.

3. A steam-trap having the water-space of its reservoir or box divided by a transverse partition, an inlet communicating with one compartment and a siphonic ejection pipe or outlet communicating with the other, said inlet being controlled by a float-valve the float of which works in said outiet-compart'ment, substantially as herein specified.

4. In a steam-trapl having a siphonic ejection pipe or outlet, a transverse partition dividing the water-space of the reservoir or box into two compartments which communicate, respectively, with an inlet and with said ontlet, and provided with a small hole near the bottom, said inlet being controlled by a floatvalve the float of which works in said outletcompartment, and said small hole permitting the water to find its level and thus rise in said outlet-conipartment, when there is no steampressure, preparatory to the next beginning ofthe operation, substantially ashercin specified.

In testimony whereof Iaftlxmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN JAMES ROYLE.

\Vi tn esses:

Jol-1N (t. `\V.Ii.soN, JOHN Snaren.

IIO 

